Method of applying sauce to food product

ABSTRACT

A sauce applicator apparatus combination for applying sauce to a food product and a corresponding method are described. The combination comprises a first sauce applicator apparatus positioned above a second sauce applicator apparatus. The first sauce applicator apparatus comprises a first inner bucket having apertures formed therein, a first outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the first inner bucket having apertures, and a first lid sized to cover the first inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the first inner bucket. The second sauce applicator apparatus comprises a second inner bucket having apertures formed therein, a second outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the second inner bucket having apertures, and a second lid sized to cover the second inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the second inner bucket.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from, and is related to, prior U.S. Provisional Application having Application Ser. No. 60/822,829, titled “Method of Applying Sauce to Food Product,” having the same inventor, and filed on Aug. 18, 2006, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of applying sauce to a food product and a corresponding apparatus therefore. Existing vessels used for applying sauce to food products use an amount of storage and counter space equal to the size of each of the individual vessels. This is inefficient and requires multiple cleaning of vessels and additional use and/or wasteage of sauce.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein elements having the same reference numeral designations represent like elements throughout and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first bucket useable in conjunction with an embodiment of the present invention to advantage;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a second bucket useable in conjunction with an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a sauce applicator apparatus according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side top perspective view of the sauce applicator apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side top perspective view of more than one stacked sauce applicator apparatuses according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side top perspective view of a stacked sauce applicator according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a side top perspective view of a stacked sauce applicator according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an inner bucket 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Inner bucket 100 comprises a cylindrical sidewall 110 and a circular bottom face 140. The top or upper portion of inner bucket 100 is open. Bottom face 140 of inner bucket 100 is perforated by a plurality of apertures 150. Each aperture 150 is of a size large enough to allow a sauce to pass through, e.g., drain through, while being small enough so that the food product, e.g., chicken wings, can not pass through.

Cylindrical sidewall 110 narrows in circumference between the top or upper portion of inner bucket 100 to the bottom face 140. That is, inner bucket 100 narrows toward the bottom of the bucket.

In at least some embodiments, each aperture 150 may be formed by punching, drilling, etching, or other aperture-forming mechanism. In at least some other embodiments, the plurality of apertures may result from a grid structure positioned over an open bottom face 140 of inner bucket 140, e.g., the apertures may be formed in openings between crossing wire segments or flat strips of material. In at least some embodiments, apertures 150 may be formed in at least a portion of sidewall 110 extending from near the bottom of inner bucket 100 toward the top of the inner bucket. In at least some other embodiments, apertures 150 may be polygonal-shaped, ellipsoidal-shaped, or a combination thereof. In at least some other embodiments, the plurality of apertures 150 may be arranged in a pattern or randomly distributed about bottom 140 of inner bucket 100.

Inner bucket 100 further comprises a rim 130 about a top portion of the sidewall 110. Sidewall 110 of inner bucket 100 also comprises a protruding ring 120 extending around, e.g., circumscribing, the sidewall near a top or upper end of the sidewall. Inner bucket 100, in at least some embodiments, further comprises a lid 160 sized to fit onto rim 130 to retain the contents of the inner bucket 100 within the bucket. Inner bucket 100 further comprises handles 170 at each side thereof.

In at least some embodiments, the seal formed by lid 160 on rim 130 is sufficient to seal within liquids, as well as solids. In at least some embodiments, protruding ring 120 and/or handles 170 may be omitted.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of an outer bucket 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Similar to inner bucket 100, outer bucket 200 has a cylindrical sidewall 210, a bottom face 240, a rim 230 at the top or upper portion of the cylindrical sidewall and a protruding ring 220 beneath the rim 230 but near the top of the sidewall 210. Similar to inner bucket 100, outer bucket 200 further comprises handles 270 at opposing sides of the bucket on sidewall 210. Outer bucket 200 differs from inner bucket 100 in that the outer bucket does not have apertures perforating bottom face 240.

In at least some embodiments, outer bucket 200 may have a lid similar to lid 160 which is able to form a seal with rim 230 sufficient to seal within liquids, as well as solids. In at least some embodiments, lid 160 may fit one or both of inner bucket 100 and outer bucket 200. In at least some embodiments, protruding ring 220 and/or handles 270 may be omitted.

In at least some embodiments, outer bucket 200 is the same size as inner bucket 100, i.e., the outer bucket dimensions equal the inner bucket dimensions. Because both buckets 100, 200 have equal dimensions, inner bucket 100 fits within outer bucket 200. In at least some embodiments, inner bucket 100 fits snugly within outer bucket 200. By varying the slope of cylindrical sidewall 110, 210 of the buckets 100, 200, the amount of the inner bucket sidewall which fits within the outer bucket may be varied.

FIG. 3 depicts a side view of a sauce applicator apparatus 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 300 comprises inner bucket 100 positioned within outer bucket 200. Further, a sauce 310, e.g., chicken wing sauce such as WY'S WINGS Buffalo Wing Sauce of Strasburg, Va., is positioned within outer bucket 200 and a food product 320, e.g., chicken wings and legs, is positioned within inner bucket 100.

In order to coat food product 320 with sauce 310 using sauce applicator apparatus 300 of FIG. 3, inner bucket 100 is positioned within outer bucket 200. Sauce 310 is placed, e.g., by pouring, into inner bucket 100. Sauce 310 passes through apertures 150 in inner bucket 100. Sauce sufficient to reach a level not higher than bottom 140 of inner bucket 100 is poured into inner bucket 100. Food product 320 is placed within inner bucket 100. Because apertures 150 at bottom 140 of inner bucket 100 are smaller than food product 320, the bottom of the inner bucket supports the food product 320 without the food product touching bottom 240 of outer bucket 200.

In at least some embodiments, sauce 310 is placed within outer bucket 200 prior to positioning of inner bucket 100 within the outer bucket. In at least some embodiments, food product 320 may be placed within inner bucket 100 prior to positioning the inner bucket within outer bucket 200.

In at least some other embodiments, inner bucket 100 may be placed within outer bucket 200 prior to placement of either or both of sauce 310 and food product 320 within inner bucket 100. In at least some other embodiments, food product 320 may be placed in inner bucket 100 prior to pouring sauce 310 into sauce applicator apparatus 300.

Protruding ring 120 of inner bucket 100 rests on rim 230 of outer bucket 200 in order that bottom 140 of the inner bucket remains a predetermined distance above bottom 240 of the outer bucket. Also, the bottom 140 of inner bucket 100 remains above sauce 310 within outer bucket 200.

In at least some embodiments, the predetermined distance between bottom 140 and bottom 240 is based on a predetermined volume of sauce 310 to be applied to a predetermined amount of food product 320. In at least one specific embodiment, the predetermined distance may correspond to a predetermined volume between bottom 140 and bottom 240. That is, a given number of fluid ounces to be applied to a given amount of food product 320 may be poured into sauce applicator apparatus 300. Because the predetermined distance is related to the given number of fluid ounces, a measuring step may be eliminated with regard to sauce 310, as well as elimination of an additional utensil, and a given amount of food product 320 to be coated may be positioned within inner bucket 100.

In at least some embodiments, the predetermined distance may be indicated to a user of sauce applicator apparatus 300 by viewing whether sauce 310 meets or exceeds the level of apertures 150 in inner bucket 100. In at least some embodiments, sidewall 210 may be transparent and/or translucent such that the level of sauce 310 within outer bucket 200 may be viewed from the exterior of sauce applicator apparatus 300.

After insertion of inner bucket 100 into outer bucket 200 and the addition of sauce 310 and food product 320 to the inner bucket, lid 160 is fixed to the rim 130 of the inner bucket. With lid 160 affixed in place on rim 130 and inner bucket 100 within outer bucket 200, food product 320 is sealed within the inner bucket and sauce 310 is sealed within outer bucket 200. After sealing sauce applicator apparatus 300, a user is able to use handles 270 of outer bucket 200 to shake the apparatus.

In at least some embodiments, a user grabs handles 270 using the user's fingers and places the user's thumbs on top of lid 160 reinforcing contact and the sealing action of the lid with respect to apparatus 300. In at least some embodiments, a user may shake apparatus 300 in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, a circular direction, or a combination thereof.

Shaking sauce applicator apparatus 300 causes sauce 310 located below the bottom 140 of inner bucket 100 to pass through the apertures 150 to within the inner bucket and contact and coat the food product 320.

After shaking the apparatus 300, the apparatus is placed in a quiescent position in order to allow excess sauce 310 to pass through apertures 150 to the bottom 240 of outer bucket 200. Recovered excess sauce 310 may be reused later and minimizes sauce waste

FIG. 4 depicts a side top perspective view of sauce applicator apparatus 300.

FIG. 5 depicts a side top perspective view of a stacked pair of sauce applicator apparatuses 300. In at least some embodiments, a plurality of pairs of sauce applicator apparatuses 300 may be stacked within each other. In this manner, the amount of counter space and/or refrigerator space required to store sauce applicator apparatuses 300 is reduced. Further, unused sauce 310 may be stored in a sauce applicator apparatus 300, in either a stacked or unstacked arrangement with other apparatuses, for later use.

In at least some other embodiments, a single inner bucket 100 may be employed in conjunction with one or more additional outer buckets 200. For example, two or more outer buckets 200 may each retain differing sauces 310 and a single inner bucket 100 may be used in conjunction with a given food product 320 for a particular desired sauce. In accordance with at least this embodiment, fewer utensils may require cleaning as only inner bucket 100 contacts food product 320.

In accordance with the FIG. 5 embodiment, a user may place a food product in one or both of first and/or second inner buckets of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses 300. The user may place a sauce in one or both of first and/or second outer buckets of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses 300. The user may cover one or the other of the stacked sauce applicator apparatuses 300 using a lid and shake the covered sauce applicator apparatus to apply the sauce to the food product.

FIG. 6 depicts a side top perspective view of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses. As depicted, an inner bucket 600, similar to inner bucket 100 described above, is positioned within a first outer bucket 602, similar to outer bucket 200 described above. First outer bucket 602 may further comprise a first sauce previously poured into the bucket.

First outer bucket 602 is positioned within a second outer bucket 604, similar to outer bucket 200. Second outer bucket 604 may further comprise a second sauce previously poured into the bucket. Second outer bucket 604 is positioned within a third outer bucket 606, similar to outer bucket 200.

Third outer bucket 606 may further comprise a third sauce previously pouted into the bucket. A lid 608, similar to lid 160 described above, is sized to fit over the open end of at least inner bucket 600. In this manner, a user may place a food product 320 into inner bucket 600, remove the combined inner bucket 600 and the first outer bucket 602, and shake the combined buckets to apply the sauce to the food product.

If the user desires to apply the second sauce in second outer bucket 604 to food product 320, the user removes inner bucket 600 and second outer bucket 604 from the stacked applicator apparatuses and places the inner bucket 600 within the second outer bucket. The user then positions lid 608 over inner bucket 600 and shakes the combined inner and outer buckets to apply the second sauce to the food product. Similarly, the user may apply the third sauce to the food product by use of inner bucket 600 and third outer bucket 606. In this manner, the user may reduce the amount of counter and/or storage space required for the individual buckets of sauces. After use, the user may position lid 608 over inner bucket 600 and/or outer buckets 602, 064, 606 to seal the sauces inside the buckets for later reuse.

In at least some further embodiments, the food product may be placed in one or more outer buckets 200 for marinating prior to use. During marinating of the food product(s) in outer bucket(s) 200, two or more outer buckets may be stacked as described above.

FIG. 7 depicts a side top perspective view of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses according to another embodiment. As depicted, a first sauce applicator apparatus 700 comprises an inner bucket 100 (FIG. 1) positioned within an outer bucket 200 (FIG. 2) and a lid 160 (FIG. 1) positioned over the top of the inner bucket. Similarly, a second sauce applicator apparatus 702 comprises an inner bucket 100, outer bucket 200, and lid 160. Second sauce applicator apparatus 700 is positioned on top of first sauce applicator apparatus 702, i.e., the second apparatus sits on top of the lid of the first apparatus.

In at least some embodiments, one or both of first apparatus 700 and second apparatus 702 include one or more sauces, e.g., sauce 310 (FIG. 3), inside outer buckets 200. In this manner, the first and second apparatuses 700, 702 may be stacked with an appropriate sauce inside for application to a food product which may be placed in inner buckets 100.

Stacking first and second apparatuses 700, 702 reduces the amount of space required for the apparatuses. In at least some embodiments, the amount of space required is reduced during time periods when the apparatus may be in use storing one or more sauces. For example, multiple apparatuses may be stacked to conserve space use at a work and/or preparation table. In at least some embodiments, three or more sauce applicator apparatuses may be stacked in the above-described manner, one atop the lid of another.

Additionally, by using a translucent material for at least outer bucket 200, the amount of sauce 310 within an apparatus 700, 702 may be easily determined in order to quickly assess whether more sauce is to be added to a particular apparatus.

It will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosed embodiments fulfill one or more of the advantages set forth above. After reading the foregoing specification, one of ordinary skill will be able to affect various changes, substitutions of equivalents and various other embodiments as broadly disclosed herein. It is therefore intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by the definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

1. A sauce applicator apparatus combination comprising: a first sauce applicator apparatus comprising: a first inner bucket having apertures formed therein; a first outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the first inner bucket having apertures, and a first lid sized to cover the first inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the first inner bucket, and; a second sauce applicator apparatus comprising: a second inner bucket having apertures formed therein; a second outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the second inner bucket having apertures, and; a second lid sized to cover the second inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the second inner bucket, and wherein the first sauce applicator apparatus is positioned above the second sauce applicator apparatus.
 2. A sauce applicator apparatus combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first inner bucket apertures are formed in at least the bottom of the first inner bucket.
 3. A sauce applicator apparatus combination as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a third sauce applicator apparatus comprising: a third inner bucket having apertures formed therein; a third outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the third inner bucket having apertures, and; a third lid sized to cover the third inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the third inner bucket, and wherein the third sauce applicator apparatus is positioned above the first sauce applicator apparatus.
 4. A sauce applicator apparatus combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sauce applicator apparatus is positioned on the second lid.
 5. A method of applying sauce to a food product using a sauce applicator apparatus combination comprising a first sauce applicator apparatus configured to receive at least partially therein a second sauce applicator apparatus, wherein the first sauce applicator apparatus comprises a first inner bucket having apertures formed therein and a first outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the first inner bucket having apertures, and wherein the second sauce applicator apparatus comprises a second inner bucket having apertures formed therein, a second outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the second inner bucket having apertures, and a first lid sized to cover the second inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the first inner bucket, the method comprising: placing a food product within the second inner bucket; placing a sauce within the second outer bucket; removing the second sauce applicator apparatus from the first sauce applicator apparatus; positioning the first lid over the second sauce applicator apparatus having the food product and sauce therein; and shaking the second sauce applicator apparatus to apply the sauce to the food product.
 6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising: placing a second food product within the first inner bucket; placing a second sauce within the first outer bucket; positioning the first lid over the first sauce applicator apparatus; and shaking the first sauce applicator apparatus to apply the second sauce to the second food product.
 7. A method according to claim 5, further comprising: positioning the second sauce applicator apparatus at least partially within the first sauce applicator apparatus.
 8. A method of applying sauce to a food product using a sauce applicator apparatus combination comprising a first sauce applicator apparatus configured to be received by a second outer bucket, wherein the first sauce applicator apparatus comprises a first inner bucket having apertures formed therein and a first outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the first inner bucket having apertures, and a first lid sized to cover at least the first inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the first inner bucket, the method comprising: placing a food product within the first inner bucket; placing a sauce within the first outer bucket; removing the first sauce applicator apparatus from the second outer bucket; positioning the first lid over the first sauce applicator apparatus having the food product and sauce therein; and shaking the first sauce applicator apparatus to apply the sauce to the food product.
 9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising: removing the food product from the first sauce applicator apparatus; placing an other food product within the first inner bucket; placing an other sauce within the second outer bucket; positioning the first inner bucket within the second outer bucket; positioning the first lid over the first inner bucket having the other food product and other sauce therein; and shaking the combined first inner bucket and second outer bucket to apply the other sauce to the other food product.
 10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising: positioning the first sauce applicator at least partially within the second outer bucket.
 11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising: positioning the combined first inner bucket and second outer bucket at least partially within the first outer bucket. 